(A) New renewal license. Applications for a residential rental property license will be made to the city’s Clerk-Treasurer. The completed application will be forwarded to the Zoning Administrator who shall review the application for conflicts with zoning ordinances and parking requirements. If approved, the application will be assigned to the appointed Rental Housing Inspector for inspection on compliance with this code and any other applicable statute, ordinance, code or regulation. A rental license will be issued after the property is in full compliance with all requirements. The property may not be rented until final approval as evidenced by the issuance of the license.
(B) Inspection upon complaint. Any residential property within the city is subject to investigation upon complaint by any citizen or city employee. Complaints shall be investigated in accordance with the following schedule.
(1) All complaints shall be investigated within 72 hours of receipt by the city’s Rental Housing Inspector, or his or her designee, shall inspect the property to verify the existence of conditions in violation of this chapter or any other applicable statute, ordinance, code or regulation.
(2) A tenant may, at any time, request an inspection of the rental property in which he or she currently resides. A fee for the inspection shall be imposed on the tenant only if the hearing examiner board finds, by a preponderance of the evidence that the request was made in bad faith.
(C) Administrative penalties for failure to allow inspection. The City Council shall establish administrative penalties for intentional failure, or failure without good cause; to appear for scheduled rental inspections or re-inspections or for intentional avoidance or delay in scheduling inspection(s) when requested. Administrative penalties may also be imposed for failure to correct code violations after proper notice. Administrative penalties are in addition to any criminal charges and/or fines.
(D) Confidentiality of complaintant’s name(s). The identities of any person filing a complaint about violations of state law, or local ordinance, concerning the use of real property, and any information that would identify the person, is classified as confidential under M.S. § 13.44, as it may be amended from time to time. No employee or agent of the city shall release or reveal the information, except by court order.
(2001 Code, § 13.130) (Ord. 13, passed 6-2-2014) Penalty, see § 10.99